The Thermals, 2012

This press release just came:

The Thermals have recently finished recording their sixth LP (title and label TBA) with John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, Hold Steady) at Water Music in Hoboken, NJ. Mixing was completed October 28th, just hours before Superstorm Sandy hit the east coast.

The Thermals hope to have the new record released in early spring of 2013, and will be making (m)an(y) appearance(s) at SXSW in March. Almost two and a half years have passed since their last record, Personal Life (Kill Rock Stars, 2010) came out. But as David Lynch told Louis C.K. in his three rules for show business, "You gotta go away to come back".

The Thermals describe the upcoming album as "Everything Thermals fans know and love about this band. It's like a cross between two of our best-known and -loved records, More Parts Per Million (Sub Pop, 2003) and The Body, The Blood, The Machine (Sub Pop, 2006.) It's loud, fast, incredibly scary and undeniably catchy."

This good news of course comes not long after really bad news related to the Themals, as their ex-bandmate Joel Burrows passed away not long after they finished the new recording.

photos by Jason Leiva

Glen Hansard at Mother New York

Glen Hansard, who recently played Fallon and has a handful of shows scheduled this month including one on June 29 at Beacon Theater, has added a June 28 show at the much more intimate Le Poisson Rouge. Tickets go on sale today (6/15) at noon. All tour dates, including his rescheduled run with Eddie Vedder, are listed below.

This past Tuesday (6/12), the same day he played an intimate benefit show at Housing Works, Glenn stopped by creative company Mother New York to play a private show in their offices. Jason Leiva was there and supplied us with the pictures you see in this post. More below.

Back in March Glen, whose irst ever solo album Rhythm and Repose is out on Anti- Records on June 19, went down to Austin where he played a bunch of sets at SXSW including one at our own Hotel Vegan. NYC Taper was there and he recently posted the audio. Download that at his site!

And last but not least, congratulations to Glen whose "Once" musical (which he co-wrote but, unlike the movie, he does not star in) just took home 8 Tony Awards!

"Once," a slowly unfolding tale of two Dublin musicians falling in love, emerged early as the night's favorite, winning for John Tiffany's direction and for its book, by the Irish playwright Enda Walsh, as well as for set, lighting, sound design and orchestrations. (The actors in "Once" double as the show's band.)

Near the end of the broadcast Steve Kazee, who plays the emotionally broken guitarist at the center of "Once," won for best actor and used his acceptance speech to thank his cast mates for bucking him up after his mother's death in April, shortly after the musical opened.

"This cast has carried me around, and made me feel alive, and I will never be able to fully repay them," Mr. Kazee said. [NY Times]

All Glen tour dates and more pictures from Mother New York, below...

Continue reading "Once won 8 Tony Awards; Glen Hansard adds small show, played others (pics, tix, dates & live audio from Hotel Vegan)"

words, by Andrew Sacher, photos by Tim Griffin & Amanda Hatfield

DOWNLOAD: Field Report - "I Am Not Waiting Anymore" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Field Report - "Fergus Falls" (MP3)

Field Report @ Hotel Vegan (by Tim Griffin)

Many know the story of how when DeYarmond Edison broke up, Justin Vernon started Bon Iver and the remaining members formed Megafaun. Well apparently, there's a missing piece to that puzzle that the world recently learned about. The remaining DeYarmond Edison member, Chris Porterfield, "hung back in Wisconsin" while Bon Iver and Megafaun continued releasing records and touring, and began working on his project, Field Report which he has since expanded to a full live band.

Like Justin Vernon's early solo work, Field Report creates a sparsely textured, slow-burning take on contemporary folk, though Chris has far more of a rootsy twang in his voice than his fellow ex-DeYarmond Edison spinoffs. Check it out for yourself by downloading two tracks, "I Am Not Waiting Anymore" and "Fergus Falls," above or streaming them below.

Field Report, who have not played NYC yet but just finished a tour opening for Megafaun which brought them back to Austin, made their live debut at SXSW where they played Hotel Vegan on a stage with other folk artists including ex-Fleet Foxes drummer J. Tillman's new Father John Misty project. More pictures from Field Report's set, and the song streams (when Soundcloud stops being down), are below.

Continue reading "Chris Porterfield is Field Report (and used to be Justin Vernon's bandmate) -- MP3s & pics from SXSW"

Devin @ Hotel Vegan - SXSW 2012 (more by Tim Griffin)

Celebrating his new LP, Romancing, out tomorrow (4/10) via Frenchkiss (which is streaming in full at Spinner), Brooklyn retro rocker Devin is headlining Mercury Lounge tonight (4/9) with opener, Young Rival. Tickets are still available. I don't know why (he would do that), but he'll also being playing a sold out Neon Trees show, with APT, at Bowery Ballroom on 4/16.

Devin, who recently toured with Heartless Bastards, and played SXSW including a noon set at Hotel Vegan, will also tour Europe in May.

Check out his video for "Masochist" and a video of Devin performing live at the SXSW Spotify House with the new album's tracklist and all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Devin streaming new record, celebrating with a show tonight"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

DOWNLOAD: Emily Wells - "Passenger" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Emily Wells - "Passenger (Kid Koala remix)" (MP3)

Emily Wells @ Hotel Vegan

It may only be an opening DJ set, but it will still be interesting to see what happens tonight, 4/9, at Bowery Ballroom when Dan the Automator shares a bill with Emily Wells who he's also collaborating with for a new project called Pillowfight which performed live at SXSW. You can watch a video clip below.

Emily also played solo at SXSW, including a set at our own Hotel Vegan. Some pictures from that are in this post too.

Tonight's Bowery show is probably Emily's biggest-ever headlining show in NYC (possibly anywhere), so go out and support. Tickets are still available, and Live Footage, who are on tour with Emily, play too.

Updated tour dates, SXSW pics, Pillowfight video, and Emily's brand new IFC-premiered video for "Passenger", below...

Continue reading "Dan the Automator opening for Emily Wells (who played Hotel Vegan) -- updated tour dates, live pics, new video"

photos by Amanda Rae & Tim Griffin

Of Monsters & Men @ Hotel Vegan (by Amanda Rae)

Right before Glen Hansard played and while Love Inks was playing on one of the inside stages, Of Monsters & Men kicked things off right at noon on Thursday, March 15th at Hotel Vegan in Austin. Here are a few pictures from their set along with a video recap the Iceland band made of their entire SXSW 2012 experience which you can watch below. Pictures and a review from their more-recent Chicago show, HERE.

Of Monsters & Men, now on tour, are in NYC for two sold out shows, the first of which will STREAM LIVE ON YOUTUBE from Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight (4/5) at 10pm EST. Check out the stream's trailer, along with all tour dates and the SXSW stuff, below...

Continue reading "Of Monsters & Men played Hotel Vegan (pics), on tour now, STREAMING Brooklyn show TONIGHT"

""There is probably no musical artist who has as wide an audience internationally as Bob does," Macdonald says. "You can find people in any country in the world, whether the Arab world or Africa or Asia, who are into Bob. There is this huge built-in audience for people who want to know more about this man whose music speaks to them. And it's a really interesting life story. He lived a rich and eventful life, he died tragically young, and it's a great narrative. The amazing thing about Marley is that he's utterly unique. There is no other superstar in the world of music who came from the Third World -- he's the only one who speaks to the developing world. He's not just a popular musician, he's a philosopher. He's a prophet for them. He's somebody who gives advice and succor in times of need. There's nobody else who's like that. That's why I wanted to make a movie about him, to understand what he was saying and why he was saying it and why it is that the music has this ongoing resonance."" [Hollywood Reporter]

You don't need to wait that long to see it though because BrooklynVegan is proud to present a FREE advanced screening of the film at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on Thursday, 4/12, at 7pm (first come, first served). Like our recent screenings of The Island President, Boy, Senna, and Exit Through the Gift Shop, seats are put out in the main/back room of the club where a screen comes down over the stage, and the sound booms out of their concert-ready system. See you there.

Check out the trailer and video interview with Kevin Macdonald, Ziggy Marley and his wife Karen, below...

Continue reading "MARLEY documentary opens on 4/20 (BV Presents a free screening on 4/12!)"

photos by Tim Griffin

Glen Hansard @ Hotel Vegan (BV-SXSW 2012)

Anti- reveals:

Over 20 years in the making, singer songwriter Glen Hansard will release his first ever solo album, Rhythm and Repose, on Anti- Records June 19. Best known for his work with The Frames, The Swell Season and in the feature film Once, for which he won an Academy Award, Rhythm and Repose is Hansard's debut solo album and first album of new material since his 2009 release Strict Joy with The Swell Season. The album will be available for presale at http://www.anti.com/store

In recent months Hansard has been seen in the documentary The Swell Season which has toured the film festival circuit this year, contributed two songs to the blockbuster soundtrack, The Hunger Games, and been active in the promotion of Once, The Musical which successfully opened on Broadway on March 18 to rave reviews, including the New York Times who explains, "what was always wonderful about 'Once,' its songs and its staging, has been magnified." Hansard will support the new record on a U.S. tour.

Rhythm and Repose is a result of Hansard's last year and a half of living in New York City. The album was recorded by Patrick Dillett (David Byrne, Arto Lindsay, Laurie Anderson) and produced by Thomas Bartlett (Doveman, The National, Antony and the Johnsons). The record features the musical talents of Brad Albetta (Martha Wainwright) on bass, Ray Rizzo on drums, Nico Muhly and Rob Moose on strings (Bon Iver, Y Music), David Mansfield on slide guitar (Dylan's Rolling Thunder Tour), Javier Mas (Leonard Cohen touring band) and half of Bruce Springsteen's current horn section. Assisting on vocals are Cristin Milioti (Once, The Musical), Sam Amidon, Marketa Irglova and Aida Shahghasemi (Marketa Irglova touring band).

As the above blurb points out, the Once musical is running NOW in NYC, though Glen does not personally act or sing in it.

Glen, who meanwhile is hitting the road with Eddie Vedder, will headline four select shows in June including one on June 29 at Beacon Theater. Tickets for the NYC show went on presale today, and will become available to all as of 9am on Thursday (4/5).

All tour dates, the new solo album tracklist, and a Once musical video, below...

Continue reading "Glen Hansard releasing 1st solo album, schedules shows, playing Beacon Theaer, played BV-SXSW (pics, videos, dates)"

The Cult @ Waterloo Records, SXSW 2012 (photo by onetonaden)

The Cult, who made their return with a few shows at SXSW in March (complete with guest bongo player Matthew McConaughy), and who have a new album called Choice of Weapon being released on on May 22, have announced a tour with youngsters Against Me! and The Icarus Line as support. That tour will visit Terminal 5 on June 8th. Tickets for the NYC show are going on AmEx presale now, with general sale beginning Thursday at noon.

All dates are listed, along with a stream of the new LP's first single, below...

Continue reading "The Cult announce tour w/ Against Me! & the Icarus Line, played SXSW, releasing new LP (dates & song stream)"

Tennis at Hotel Vegan (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Tennis were last in NYC on their tour with Hospitality for two sold out shows in March, before both making their way to Austin for SXSW where they played Hotel Vegan and the Carson Daly showcase.

Tennis will be in NYC again next week to perform on Letterman on 4/9. While they're here, they'll play a show at Brooklyn Bowl on April 10. Tickets for that show are on sale now. All dates are listed below...

Tennis were recently on other late night TV shows as well, having performed "Origins" on The Tonight Show and aired footage from SXSW on Carson Daly. Videos from both of those performances along with all dates below...

Continue reading "Tennis playing Letterman & Brooklyn Bowl (next week) --- updated 2012 Tour Dates (and Leno & Carson Daly videos)"

by Andrew Frisicano

Kyle (right) on stage with King Tuff at Knitting Factory last year (more by Jessica Amaya)

For me, the best moment of SXSW 2012, came late Saturday night. The Spider House, a coffee/bar/venue about 3 miles north of the main drag, threw a seven-stage all-day show with Burger Records. A bit after midnight, King Tuff took the main stage, a plush ballroom with disco ball queasily spinning overhead. I'd seen the band play one night before at the Sub Pop showcase at Red 7, where they focused on their new, great self-titled LP, out May 29 on the label. There, the front of the crowd danced around prodded by the trio's radiant weirdness, but here, King Tuff, in matching USA-themed outfits, completely unleashed on their instruments and the crowd followed suit. Some videos can be watched below.

The new Sub Pop release, the follow-up to 2008's Was Dead, features the new single "Bad Thing", which is available at Sub Pop for the price of an email address.

King Tuff's last NYC show was January 2011, and another is long overdue, so here's hoping the new album brings him back to the East Coast. No "King Tuff" dates to report at the moment, but....

Meanwhile, the Tee Pee-signed Witch will headline a one-off NYC show at Santos on April 9th. Support for the show has not been announced, but you can expect Witch to feature the lineup of Dave Sweetapple (Sweet Apple), J.Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), Graham Clise (Annihilation Time/Lecherous Gaze), and Kyle Thomas (King Tuff). Tickets are on sale.

J Mascis also has a special show coming up at Le Poisson Rouge in May.

Check out some live video of Dinosaur Jr in action at SXSW 2012, and King Tuff too, below.

Continue reading "Witch playing Santos; King Tuff releasing Sub Pop LP (MP3)"

Big Freedia @ Brooklyn Bowl in January (more by Erik Erikson)

Big Freedia didn't make it to SXSW this year due to medical complications (at one point she was supposed to headline a night show at Hotel Vegas where she was replaced by Juvenile who then didn't show up). Hopefully the queen diva is feeling better, as she is about to head out on a short tour that brings her to Baltimore, Boston & Oberlin, folllowed by a couple of dates in Chicago and Madison, and so on. On May 18th Freedia plays Bamboozle in NJ. One day earlier, you can catch her majesty at Santos Party House on May 17th. Tickets for the NYC show are on sale. All dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Big Freedia touring, playing Santos before Bamboozle (dates)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield & Tim Griffin; additional pictures by Nate "Igor" Smith

Frankie Rose & band @ Hotel Vegan (by Amanda Hatfield)

BrooklynVegan's Hotel Vegan, located at Austin venues Hotel Vegas & Volstead Lounge, began at noon back on Wednesday, 3/14/2012, on three stages. As "bob dylan wrote propaganda songs" points out:

"...it offered the perfect setting for seeing multiple bands within an intimate setting in a short amount of time. Sure it was a long walk down Sixth Street to get there, and it may not have been the most well kempt venue (I'll be honest, it was a shit-hole), but the three stage set-up provided for prime SXSW day party viewing. I had the pleasure of seeing Chelsea Wolfe, Japandroids, Frankie Rose, Deaf Heaven, and Japandroids all within the span of a couple hours. All of these bands were on my list of bands I wanted to see, and thanks to this venue, I was able to cross more bands off my list than past years"

Deafheaven @ Hotel Vegan (by Amanda Hatfield)

Like on Friday and all four days, we served complimentary HobNob Wines all day. On Wednesday we also proudly passed out Brooklyn Brewery beer and Sailor Jerry drinks.

Special thanks to our official backline providers Vox, Blackstar and Korg, and thank you to NadaMoo for supplying free vegan treats, and to Honest Tea for the tea.

More pictures from the entire SXSW Wednesday at Hotel Vegan, below....

Continue reading "#HotelVegan Day 1 pics (Future of the Left, Japandroids, Bear in Heaven, Frankie Rose, Maps & Atlases, Deafheaven, more) "

Grimes @ Glasslands (pic by thedeskofjob)

One night after struggling through two shows at Mercury Lounge, Grimes toughed out her throat problems and played a super-sold-out show at Glasslands in Brooklyn. How was it? Check out some videos below.

A couple of weeks earlier Grimes was in Austin for SXSW (where she did not play a BV party and) where Nardwuar (who did play a BV party) caught up with the fellow Canadian for an interview. Watch below...

Continue reading "Grimes played Glasslands in NYC, talked to Nardwuar @ SXSW (both while wearing her Pictureplane shirt) -- [VIDEOS]"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

DOWNLOAD: Japandroids - "Younger Us" (MP3)

Japandroids @ Hotel Vegan (BV-SXSW 2012)

Japandroids, who recently played Hotel Vegan in Austin during SXSW (pictures in this post), will welcome their new album, Celebration Rock this June via Polyvinyl. As mentioned, it includes a cover of The Gun Club's "For the Love of Ivy" and Japandroids' 2010 single "Younger Us," which you can download above or stream below. UPDATE: You can also listen to new track " The House That Heaven Built" at Soundcloud.

The duo are set to tour Europe, the US, and Canada this spring/summer in support of the new album. That tour hits NYC on June 27 at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets for the NYC show go on sale Friday (3/30) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (3/28) at noon.

All dates, more pics and the song stream below...

Continue reading "Japandroids played Hotel Vegan (pics), announce tour (dates)"

Norah Jones at Stones Fest 2012 (more by Stephen Yang)

The Central Park Summerstage schedule for 2012, which already includes Beirut, M83, Danny Brown/Childish Gambino, Beach House, and others, is continuing to expand. They've now added a Norah Jones show which will take place on July 3. Tickets go on sale Friday (3/30) at noon with Artist, Summerstage, and AmEx presales starting Thursday (3/29) at 10 AM. More tour dates are listed below.

Norah's Danger Mouse-produced LP, Little Broken Hearts, will see the light of day on May 1 via Blue Note. You can stream two album tracks, "Happy Pills" and "Travelin' On" below, along with some videos from SXSW, the artwork, tracklist, and all dates...

Continue reading "Norah Jones added to 2012 Summerstage schedule, releasing new LP, touring, played SXSW"

Tenacious D @ SXSW 2012 (cicatriz83)

Jack Black & Kyle Gass aka Tenacious D, who just stopped in Austin make their live return at SXSW, will release a new album of (hopefully) funny and rockin' songs called Rize Of The Fenix on May 15. They said:

"We recorded down and dirty in a friend's garage with a shoestring budget of 600 dollars, much like Nirvana's first album "Bleach"-or the Beatles first album "Help". Rough and yet a masterpiece."

It has now been reported that the duo will be heading out on a summer tour that brings them back to NYC to rock our socks off at Hammerstein Ballroom on June 28th! Tickets ($55) for the NYC show go on sale Friday, 3/30, at 10am. We also have a pair you can WIN. Contest details, the new album art, with all currently known tour dates, and some videos from SXSW, below...

Continue reading "Tenacious D new album & tour coming, Hammerstein Ballroom included (WIN TIX!) ---- 2012 dates & SXSW videos"

by BBG

Nas at Rock The Bells (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Cue sad trombone...

The next time you buy a Nas album, you're really just handing your money over to the government -- because the rapper's delinquent tax filings have caused Uncle Sam to begin garnishing his wages... Nas is in tax debt up to his eyeballs ... if his eyeballs were $6,000,000 tall.

So the government has finally tired of waiting for Nas to pay up, so they filed documents in the state of Georgia to have his wages garnished -- via the music publishing organizations BMI and ASCAP -- until the debt is paid off. -[TMZ]

Nas did show up for SXSW this year though, and spoke to a VEVO interviewer in the process. Watch that talk below...

Continue reading "Nas's wages garnished by the IRS"

photos by Amanda Hatfield, words by BBG

Freshkills @ Hotel Vegan

Grant Hart played SXSW and has other upcoming shows scheduled including one in Philadelphia this Tuesday, one at Cake Shop on April 6th, and one in Brooklyn at Union Pool on April 7th alongside NYC's own post-punk crew Freshkills. Tickets for the NYC show are on sale. All dates are listed below.

Freshkills, who played a record release show at Pianos earlier this month, is also coming off of a tour down to SXSW, where they played the BBG stage on Wed (3/14) at Hotel Vegan. Some pictures from their set are in this post.

Grant Hart will (hopefully) be the subject of an upcoming documentary...

With Grant Hart as the only interview subject, EVERY EVERYTHING will tell the story of his life, from his beginnings, through his days in Hüsker Dü, and up to the present. In this feature-length documentary you'll learn his influences, his obsessions, his loves, his passions, his art, his music, and everything in between, leaving no stone unturned. For the first time ever, you'll hear everything about Grant Hart as told by Grant Hart -- the good, the bad, and the ugly. Think of it as a rock 'n' roll FOG OF WAR!

Continue reading "Freshkills played Hotel Vegan (pics), playing Union Pool w/ Grant Hart (who may be the subject of new documentary)"

Grimes @ SXSW 2012 (by Rockienolan)

Grimes is all the rage , and I swear it happened almost overnight. If use Austin as a judge, I can tell you that she definitely had a good crowd on one of the smaller stages at Fun Fun Fun Fest in November, but the buzz was nowhere near what was going on just a few months later in the same town for SXSW (which was not long after she played a sold out non-festival show in Austin too). Of course that's because her great new album came out on 4AD over two months after Fun Fun Fun Fest, and less than a month before SXSW, Best New Music included, but still, she jumped high and fast.

Grimes didn't play that many shows at SXSW (adding to her demand) which is a good thing because she was really tired and sick (the kind of sick that makes you cough and stuff), as you can see and hear a little bit in the videos, one of which was filmed at her Urban Outfitters show, below.

Grimes is now in NYC to play three sold out shows with the also-fun Born Gold, two at Mercury Lounge tonight/Friday and one at Glasslands on Saturday. Those shows seem intimate now, though they didn't even sell out that fast. Two of them were announced in November and still had tickets on sale two months later. Now you'll need to give out sexual favors to get in to one of the three if you don't have a ticket.

HOWEVER, you don't need a ticket at all to get into the afterparty happening at Living Bread on Saturday night (3/24). For that you just need to be quick. First come, first served. 150 capacity. Grimes is DJing. Cadence Weapon is too (which is too bad cause he is a great rapper).

If you go to any of these shows, make sure you dance; Grimes likes it when people do, and in turn puts on a better show (or so she says in the video interview below).

Grimes is also in NYC this weekend for her own art show. A press release says:

Grimes, aka Claire Boucher, the Montreal artist whose latest album Visions has made her an international media sensation, will debut a selection of audio and visual art in a special exhibition opening on March 23 at New York City's Audio Visual Arts (AVA) Gallery.

The opening will present a collection of Boucher's paintings and drawings from the past few years - accompanied by works from two other Canadian artists, specially selected by Boucher for the show - highlighting Grimes's multifaceted nature not only as a musician but also as an audio-visual artist and curator of culture.

All upcoming tour dates and SXSW videos below...

Continue reading "Grimes was sick @ SXSW (video), is on tour, is in NYC now for 3 live shows, an art show (and 1 afterparty)"

photos by Tim Griffin

Widowspeak @ Hotel Vegan

Widowspeak are back from a trip that brought them to Mexico for Festival NRML and to Austin for SXSW where they played they played Hotel Vegan. Bill Pearis wrote:

Widowspeak were the first of three bands who played our party Friday that are on Captured Tracks. (DIVE and Craft Spells would be the others.) Molly Hamilton gets compared to Hope Sandoval a lot, and they both do have that sultry breathy vocal quality but Mazzy Starr never got up enough speed for song like Widowspeak's "Fir Coat."

Bleeding Rainbow didn't play any of our SXSW parties, but Bill did catch them in Austin the same day he saw Widowspeak, and wrote:

Bleeding Rainbow were on their last couple songs when I got to the Iron Bear. A year ago, the Philadelphia band were a duo (still with the name Reading Rainbow) but added a member last fall and then changed their name. Now... they're a four-piece and sounded fierce!

Bleeding Rainbow have on other show on their upcoming calendar, on March 30th at Johnny Brenda's in Philadelphia supporting Cloud Nothings. Cloud Nothings play two NYC shows next week with A Classic Education, at Mercury Lounge and Glasslands (both are sold out).

NYCTaper was on hand for Widowspeak's last NYC show earlier this month, and has the audio from the show to prove it.

Check out some Widowspeak video/interviews from during SXSW/Festival NRML, more pictures from Hotle Vegan, and updated Cloud Nothings dates below....

Continue reading "Widowspeak played BV-SXSW (more pics), playing Death By Audio w/ Bleeding Rainbow & more (Saturday)"

Salva

Nguzunguzu and Salva's tour brought the two LA producers to SXSW in Austin last week, and as mentioned, they'll play 285 Kent TONIGHT (3/23) in Brooklyn. Tonight's show is a S!CK/Weird Magic showcase which also features DJ MikeQ, Rizzla, Rezzie (Weird Magic) and Thomas (S!CK). Tickets are still available.

Show flier, more details and a video of Nguzunguzu at SXSW below...

Continue reading "Nguzunguzu & Salva hit SXSW, on tour, play Brooklyn tonight"

most photos by Amanda Hatfield, some shots by Zach Timm

Polica @ Hotel Vegan

In addition to hosting almost 100 bands on three stages for four days straight, BrooklynVegan's Hotel Vegan, located at Austin venues Hotel Vegas & Volstead Lounge, was a place where you could sip some complimentary HobNob Wines from noon-7pm each day. On Friday (3/16/2012), the third day of Hotel Vegan, we teamed with HobNob and The Original Moonshine for a big party that included the following, amazing FREE lineup:

Stage 1 (Hotel Vegas Outside)
12:00 Cold Showers
1:00 Polica
2:00 Youth Lagoon
3:00 Eight and a Half (members of Broken Social Scene & the Stills)
3:45 Django Django
4:30 Tennis
5:15 Light Asylum
6:00 The Black Angels

Stage 2 (Hotel Vegas Inside)
12:00 Lucius
12:45 The Big Sleep
1:30 The Twilight Sad
2:15 Eleanor Friedberger (of the Fiery Furnaces)
3:00 Widowspeak
3:45 TRUST
4:30 The Evaporators (Nardwuar's band)
5:15 DIVE

Stage 3 (Volstead)
12:15 Jennifer Castle
1:00 Daughter
1:45 Exitmusic
2:30 Doldrums
3:15 Zeus
4:00 Au Palais
5:00 Craft Spells

The Evaporators getting started @ Hotel Vegan

If you got your picture taken in our Smilebooth, make sure to look for yourself in the photos posted to our Facebook.

Special thanks to our official backline providers Vox, Blackstar and Korg, and thank you to NadaMoo for supplying free vegan treats, and to Honest Tea for the tea.

The Black Angels closed the day off right with a set of their 60s-influenced, psych rock n roll to an oferflowing house on the outdoor stage that saw a full crowd throughout the day thanks to names like Polica, Youth Lagoon and Tennis.

So many bands, so little time, so experience it with the pictures that continue below (and stay tuned for more on BV Austin)...

Continue reading "#HotelVegan Day 3 pics (BV, HobNob Wines & Moonshine presents) - Black Angels, Tennis, Youth Lagoon & MANY more"

Mike Watt's new book

Hellride East (Murph, Mascis & Watt)

Happening at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC:

On Wednesday, May 2nd, 7 p.m., Three Rooms Press presents the NYC book launch for Mike Watt: On and Off Bass at Le Poisson Rouge. The event will feature live performances by Mike Watt + J Mascis + Murph, with opening acts Appomattox and Dead Trend, plus a reading & signing by Mike Watt along with additional very special surprise guests. The new book will be available for purchase at the event.

This is a general admission, standing event. Happy hour from 7-8pm including $3 beer and $5 well drinks.

J Mascis recently played with Sharon Van Etten at SXSW where he also played with Murph. Check out a video of Dinosaur Jr. at Bar 96 in Austin, below.

Mike Watt's book of "photography, reflections and diary excerpts" will be available for preorder at Three Room Press soon. They write:

Order "Mike Watt: On and Off Bass" between April 1 and April 30 and receive a copy of the book signed by Mike Watt PLUS an 8 x 10 photographic print of an image used in the book, also signed by Mike Watt. NOTE: Pre-orders will be available beginning April 1 through April 30 only. The link to the preorder will be available at threeroomspress.com at 10 am (EST) on April 1. Pre-order quantity is extremely limited, and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Continue reading "J Mascis & Murph will play with Mike Watt, help him celebrate the release of a book (preorder in April)"

The Guardian reports:

"The actor who played drug vigilante Omar Little in TV series The Wire is to take on the role of Ol' Dirty Bastard in a film. Plans are moving ahead for Dirty White Boy, a movie based on the late and notorious rapper, starring the Baltimore crime drama's Michael K Williams.

Dirty White Boy focuses not just on ODB, born Russell Jones, but also on Jarred Weisfeld, the titular white boy, who met the musician when he was a 22-year-old VH1 production assistant. Weisfeld gradually became ODB's manager, Entertainment Weekly reports, engineering the rapper's comeback. His plan was cut short by Ol' Dirty Bastard's fatal drug overdose in November 2004."

ODB's ex-Wu-Tang Clan cohort GZA opens for Bad Brains in Brooklyn in April, and just played SXSW backed by Grupo Fantasma/Brownout and with Raekwon. Videos, ODB tributes included, below...

Continue reading "Omar from the Wire to play Ol' Dirty Bastard in movie; GZA & Raekwon paid tribute @ SXSW"